Everton's record in
penalty shoot-outs is improving slightly. During their history,
Everton have taken part in 12 shoot-outs
and have now won five in first class competitions.

First
Ever European Shoot-Out

The first shoot-out
was the infamous "Andy Rankin"
game, in the second round of the 1970-71
European Cup. With the aggregate
tied at 2-2, the end of extra time saw
Everton and Moenchengladbach enter the record books
before a kick was taken, this
being the first ever penalty shoot-out in a
European Club competition, as Uefa only introduced the rule that season.

The next shoot-out was over sixteen years
later when Everton played Charlton
Athletic in one of the myriad of cup
competitions that arose during the
European ban on English clubs  the
Full Members Cup. This penalty
shoot-out still remains the longest
that Everton have taken part in with a
total of 16 penalties taken on the
night. It is also the only time an
Everton goalkeeper has "scored"
in a first-class match when Neville
Southall converted Everton's fourth
penalty!

The number of shoot-outs since then has
increased significantly since their
introduction at the end of the replay in
the FA Cup and at the end of the first
match in the League Cup.

Incidentally,
as a consequence, the second replay at
Goodison Park against Liverpool on 27
February 1991, following the 4-4 draw, will
go down in history as the last ever
second replay in the FA Cup, with
Dave Watson scoring the last ever goal in
an FA Cup Second Replay, with his winner
in the subsequent 1-0 victory.

And so to the recent seasons when it
feels like Everton and the League Cup
immediately conjures up pictures of the
penalty shoot-out, as Everton have been
involved for the past four consecutive
seasons!